“‘He can be a tiresome and implausible public figure at times, and the reservations widely held about him, in the United States and elsewhere, are understandable and not unfounded. He knows what he wants, and he’s quite good at getting what he wants, and his theatrics are often entertaining.”
Those are some recent Donald Trump comments by always outspoken and sometimes controversial Lord Conrad Black, the Canadian-born, British political commentator, columnist, former newspaper publisher, founder of the National Post, former chair of the Telegraph Group and a much-quoted icon of Canadian thought and issues.
There will, no doubt, be elaboration and more Canada-U.S. comments on March 6, 2018 at the Westin Calgary, as the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) welcomes Lord Black as its inaugural guest speaker, providing insight into the current state of relations between Canada and the United States.
The Calgary-based CGAI, with offices in Ottawa, is the respected, independent, non-partisan research institute and charitable organization that is committed to raising the knowledge level of Canadians by being a catalyst for innovative global engagement and appreciation of defence, diplomacy, development and aid, with the ultimate aim of ensuring a more globally-engaged Canada.
According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Think Tank Index Report, CGAI is consistently ranked amongst the top think tanks in international affairs.
“We take global affairs seriously,” says CGAI president Kelly J. Ogle, with more than 35 years of entrepreneurial experience covering several business sectors including oil and gas, agriculture, trucking, residential development and golf course construction and operations. Various topics need to be addressed from a Canadian and global perspective.
“NAFTA; North Korea; NATO; climate; the Arctic; protecting human rights; upholding the rule of law and ensuring the free flow of goods, services and people across borders – they are all timely and challenging issues.
“The importance is access to correct information in this age of instantaneous, sometimes ‘fake’ news. Everything CGAI produces must be non-partisan, unbiased and independent,” he emphasizes.
“We do not advocate. Unbiased and independent policy analysis is critical for government decision-makers, business and civil society leaders and the media who look to us for relevant, well-researched policy analysis and creative, practical and thought-provoking policy recommendations.”
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute’s March 6 special event will be significant, important and informative on various levels. “Today’s overarching dialogue and public policy narrative is concerned with how Canada interacts with the United States in the Trump era,” Ogle says.
About Donald Trump’s impact on the future of Canada-U.S. relations? “It is too early to predict whether he will be a successful president or not,” Lord Black wrote in a recent column.
Ogle underscores the hope that the people attending the March CGAI event will take away a better understanding of the importance of Canada-U.S. relations and they will learn about CGAI and its valuable work.
The Canadian Global Affairs Institute inaugural event, with guest speaker Lord Conrad Black, is set for Tuesday, March 6, 2018 from 6-9 p.m. at the Westin Calgary.
More information and tickets are at http://www.cgai.ca/speaker_series_registration.
